Europe’s scorching summer is causing chaos for river cruises, with plunging water levels forcing operators to cancel sailings and rewrite holiday itineraries.
The Danube has hit record-low levels, while a cruise ship carrying holidaymakers ran aground in Bulgaria last month and had to be evacuated. A Second World War-era Nazi ship has even emerged from the waters in Serbia.
The Rhine has also fallen to dangerously low levels, leaving cargo vessels stranded and raising fresh concerns for cruise operators.
Now, major cruise companies are being forced to rethink their summer itineraries, with some sailings cancelled altogether.
Riviera Travel has scrapped 11 voyages, all of which were set to travel on either the Danube or Rhine.
Passengers have been offered a full refund, the chance to price match a future cruise on the same itinerary or a transfer to another holiday.
‘Conditions can vary significantly by river, destination and departure dates. Some sailings may require changes to the planned itinerary, a ship swap or cancellation,’ the cruise company states on its website.
‘As each ship is designed differently, some vessels may be able to continue operating safely in conditions that affect others.’
People walking on the dried-up Danube in Romania, the river is experiencing record low levels due to the drought
Boats stranded on the river bed in a marina in Serbia on the Danube
The company currently lists seven cruises as having to operate with revised itineraries.
Viking Cruises also issued a statement on the matter last month, warning ‘select Viking river itineraries may be modified.’
The statement continued: ‘Viking’s nautical and operational teams are closely monitoring conditions and working to minimise any impact to guests’ travel experiences.
‘Viking Customer Relations is proactively notifying guests and their Travel Advisors prior to departure if the guests’ itinerary may be affected.’
The cruise company described itself as being ‘uniquely positioned to manage water-level situations such as these’.
It deploys sister ships on the same itinerary but sailing in opposite directions so passengers can easily swap over if needed during low levels.
‘This approach helps minimize overall disruptions and preserve the experience our guests expect from Viking,’ it added.
Similarly, Emerald Cruises has announced that ‘adjustments will be required’ due to the water levels on the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers.
Avalon Waterways has been forced to cancel some upcoming departures of its Danube Dreams itinerary.
Meanwhile, AmaWaterways announced ‘operational adjustments on select sailings have been deemed necessary’ along the Rhine and Danube rivers.
Despite this, there are plenty of rivers in Europe where cruise holidays are going ahead as normal.
France
Instead, France’s Seine river is a relatively stable option for a river cruise
The River Seine in France has remained more stable than some other European rivers, thanks in part to water being released from reservoirs.
Riviera Travel is operating its Paris, Normandy & Historic Treasures of the Seine River Cruise voyage, with dates available to book from October 2026.
Priced from £2,999 per person, the trip begins in Paris and cruises along the Seine. It also visits Rouen in Normandy, Vernon and La Roche-Guyon.
Viking also runs a Paris and the Heart of Normandy trip along the Seine River. Prices start from £2,195 per person for the remaining 2026 voyages.
Portugal and Spain
Douro is also more reliable and tours operate through Portugal and Spain
The Douro river is more reliable than most due to its dam and lock system, according to World of Cruising.
Riviera Travel offers an eight-day Douro, Porto and Salamanca River Cruise priced from £1,899 per person.
Dates are available from September this year and the itinerary begins in Porto before heading to several stops including Castelo Rodrigo and Lamego.
Egypt
Egypt’s Nile river is also unaffected by drought at the moment
The Nile is not experiencing the same low-water conditions at present, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Egypt Independent reports.
To avoid the low water levels in Europe, Egypt could offer an alternative to drought-hit European river cruises.
TUI operates a Legends of the Nile seven-night sailing along the river covering a range of stops including Luxor, Edfu and Aswan.
Vietnam
If you’re willing to travel further afield a cruise along the Mekong river also works
For those willing to venture further afield, a cruise along the Mekong is another option.
Viking’s Magnificent Mekong 15-day sailing is priced from £6,795.
The route visits Hanoi, Tan Chau, Sa Dec, Cai Be and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam as well as Siem Reap, Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh in Cambodia.
Can I get a refund if my river cruise is affected?
Travel expert Simon Calder explained in The Telegraph that passengers looking for a full refund for a cruise where the itinerary has been significantly changed are ‘likely to be disappointed’.
This is due to officials most likely coming to the conclusion that passengers will have received some value from the voyage, even if the itinerary changed.
Cruise companies usually adapt their itineraries, whether that’s swapping ships, changing ports or transporting passengers by bus to the next stop.
Riviera told The Telegraph it would be offering compensation to passengers who didn’t experience voyages as they were advertised.
It said: ‘Our team assesses compensation or goodwill options on a case-by-case basis following travel, offering either future travel vouchers or cash alternatives.’
Other companies are offering vouchers and partial refunds.
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